Web-feeding machine with web-stop feature



1962 A. EVERS 3,018,027

WEB-FEEDING MACHINE WITH WEB-STOP FEATURE Filed Jan. 8, 1960 FIG.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Air/V0,? IVE/PS AVVU/P/VEYS' Jan. 23, 1962 A. EVERS 3,018,027

WEB-FEEDING MACHINE WITH WEB-STOP FEATURE Filed Jan. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/GZ I N V EN TOR. A/P/Ad/P EVER) ayy qw Jan. 23, 1962 A. EVERS 3,018,027

WEB-FEEDING MACHINE WITH WEB-STOP FEATURE Filed Jan. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 AffOlF/VEYF Jan. 23, 1962 A. EVERS 3,018,027

WEB-FEEDING MACHINE WITH WEB-STOP FEATURE Filed Jan. 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

United States The present invention relates to apparatus for feeding a web of material intermittently in accurate timed relation to the operation of a prime mover therefor.

There are many applications where webs of materials such as paper or fabric must be fed in an intermittent manner, and where the dwell periods of the web must be accurately timed. For example, when a plurality of blanks are to be stamped from a continuous sheet of paper or metal, it is desirable that the sheet be stationary when the stamping die is pressed down upon it. Between the stamping movements of the die the Web must be translated so that when the die next comes down a new area of the web will be presented to the die for excision therefrom.

The requirement for a proper timed relation of the dwell period of the web is complicated by the need, in most cases, that the feeding operation and the other operation performed on the web, be it stamping or anything else (hereinafter generally termed the external operation although it might be directly connected to or integrated with the web-feeding machine if desired), be performed as rapidly as is practical. In addition, it is often the case, as, for example, in certain printing or progressive stamping operations where accurate registration of the web with the instrumentalities acting thereon is a necessity, that the movement of the web be controlled to a high degree of accuracy.

High speed of operation, with frequent starts and stops of the web, imposes a great strain on the operating mechanism andtends to affect accuracy of movement in a definitely adverse manner. This is particularly true during such time as the movement of the web is being started or stopped; then constant acceleration (which term, as here used, also includes deceleration) of the web is highly desirable.

It is of course essential, when the web feeding mechanism is used in conjunction with an external operation, that the movement of the web feeding mechanism be accurately synchronized with the movement of the external operating mechanism. Moreover, it is usually required .at the web feeding mechanism be adjustable with respect to the distance that the web is fed between each dwell period, so that the web-feeding machine can be used in conjunction with different specific external operations.

One way in which movement and dwell of the web is produced is by having the web pass over a member which is mounted for movement toward and away from the dwell station at which the external operation is to be performed upon the web. (By a direction toward and away from that station is meant a movement operatively along the path of travel of the web, and not necessarily a movement dimensionally toward that station.) If this member is moved away from the external operation station at the same speed that the web is being fed to said member the web at that external station will be stationary. If the member is moved toward the external station while the web is being fed to the member the web will be moved past the external station at a speed equal to the sum of the speeds of its normal movement toward said member and the speed of movement of the member itself toward the external station. By reciprocating this member in timed relation to the operation of the external operating apparatus, the movement of the web past said external operating station is caused to alternate with periods atent c 3,9i8fi27 Patented Jan. 23, 1952 of dwell synchronized with the actual engagement of the web by the external operating mechanism. The distance which the member is moved and the cyclical speed of movement of the member by the external operating mechanism will determine the amount of travel of the web at the external operating station between its periods of dwell, as well as the timing between the periods of web movement and the periods of web dwell.

The machine of the present invention utilizes such a movably mounted member to control the movement of the Web at the external operating station. It is to the means for causing and controlling the movement of the member that this invention is specifically directed.

In accordance with the present invention the moving means for the Web-speed-varying member may be directly connected to the same prime mover which actuates the external operating apparatus. Hence synchronism of the web movement with the movement of said external apparatus, and the obtaining of web dwell at the time that said apparatus actually operatively acts upon the web, is ensured. Simple mechanically adjustable mechanism is included in the operative connection between the prime mover and the web-speed-varying member so that the amplitude of movement of that member may be varied without affecting its speed of cyclical movement. Thus the apparatus is made readily adaptable to varying oper ational requirements.

During the periods of web dwell, when the web-speedvarying member must be moved away from the operating station at a constant speed equal to the normal speed of movement of the web through the feeding apparatus, that member is adapted to be positively driven at a constant speed directly related to the speed of operation of the prime mover. This is accomplished by a direct gear drive. That gear drive is operatively effectively only during portions of the entire cycle of movement of the member, and in the intervals when the gear drive is not effective, a cam drive becomes effective, the cam being so shaped as to impart to the member a predetermined variable speed best suited to the mechanical and operational requirements of the apparatus. As here specifically disclosed the cam drive is operative during each period of reversal of movement of the web'speed-varying member in order to accomplish that reversal of movement with substantially uniform acceleration.

The apparatus of the present invention provides for positive control of the start and stop of the web movement and for an infinitely variable adjustment, up to a limit, of the amplitude of the movement of the web between its dwells. It is directly tied in to the operation of the press or other auxiliary equipment so that its speed and its cycling is directly related to the speed of operation of the press and is always synchronized therewith. The achievement of uniform acceleration and deceleration makes for a high degree of accuracy and for a minimal amount of strain on the moving parts of the apparatus.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construction of a web-feeding apparatus as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodimentv of the apparatus of the present invention, centrally broken away and laterally compressed for purposes of illustration;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view thereof taken from the left hand side of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view, on an enlarged scale, showing the driving connections to the web-speed-varying member and the relationship of that member to the other web-feeding means of the apparatus, the member being shown in its position relatively operatively close to the point where the web leaves the apparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but on a reduced scale, showing the web-speed-varying member and its operating mechanism at its other limit of movement.

Only the web-feeding apparatus is here illustrated, since it will be understood that the external operating apparatus may take a wide variety of forms. The webfeeding apparatus comprises a frame generally designated A upon which a plurality of rollers 2-14 are mounted. The path of the web, indicated by a dot and dash line designated 16, is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The web first engages the bottom of roller 2, passes around roller 2 and extends between the rollers 2 and 4, goes around the roller 4, extends between the rollers 4 and 6, goes around the roller 6, passes between the rollers 6 and 8, goes around the roller 10, and then passes between the rollers 12 and 14, after which it leaves the apparatus and moves on to some subsequent external station where appropriate operations are performed upon it. The roller 10 constitutes the web-speed-varying member which is movably mounted on the frame A so as to cause the web 16, as it passes between rollers 12 and 14 and leaves the apparatus, to have alternate periods of movement and dwell.

The apparatus is provided with a main drive gear 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which is adapted to be directly connected in any appropriate manner to the same prime mover which actuates the external operating apparatus which is to operate upon the web 16 after it leaves the apparatus. The gear 18 meshes with gear 20 which is fast on shaft 22 rotatably mounted in bearings 23. The shaft 22 extends to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 and carries thereon a segmental gear 24, here shown as having an arcuate extent of ninety degrees, and an arm 26 which has cam follower 28 rotatably mounted thereon at 30. The gear 18 is connected by reduction gearing 31 to shaft 32 which extends across the frame A to the other side thereof and carries gear 34 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Gear 34 drives a gear train comprising gears 36, 38 and 40. Gear 40 is mounted on shaft 42, on which feeding roller 6 is mounted. A pulley 44 is also mounted on shaft 42, and belt 46 extends over that pulley and over pulley 48 on shaft 5'0, the feed roller 2 also being mounted on shaft 50. Feed roller 4 is an idler roller. Gear 52 is mounted on shaft 42 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and engages with gear 54 on shaft 56, the feeding roller 12 also being mounted on the shaft 56. The roller 14 is an idler roller mounted on bracket 58 which is in turn pivotally mounted on frame part 60 and urged, either by gravity or by spring means, against the roller 12. Feed roller 8 is an idler roller.

The roller 10 which constitutes the web-speed-varying member is mounted on shaft 62 supported between brackets 64 which are in turn mounted on racks 66 which are laterally movably mounted on guide 68 for movement toward and away from the roller 12, the roller 10 moving therewith. A pulley 70 is mounted on shaft 56 and is connected by belt 72 (see FIG. 3) to pulley 74 mounted on shaft 76 supported on fixed bracket 78. Also mounted on shaft 76 for rotation with the shaft and the pulley 74 is pulley 80 which is connected by belt 82 to pulley 84 mounted on shaft 86 rotatably supported in bracket 78. Also mounted on shaft 86 for rotation therewith and with pulley 84 is pulley 88 which is connected by belt 90 with pulley 92, which is in turn connected to the shaft 64 on which the roller 10 is fast.

From the above it will be seen that rollers 6 and 12 are positively driven at a speed directly related to the speed of rotation of the gear 18, and hence the speed of operation of the prime mover connected thereto, that rollera 4, 8 and 14 idle, and that rollers 2 and 10 are beltdriven in rotation so that they need not rotate at any precise speed relative to the speed of rotation of the gear 18. Although the roller 12 is positively driven at a predetermined speed, the web 16 can readily slip relative thereto, because it is only relatively lightly pressed thereagainst by the roller 14.. Roller 6, in conjunction with idler rollers 4 and 8, which firmly press the web 16 thereagainst, therefore primarily controls the speed at which the web 16 enters the apparatus.

The racks 66 to which the roller 10 is connected (as here disclosed two such racks are utilized, one on each side of the apparatus) engage with gears 93 mounted at the ends of shaft 95, which extends across the width of the apparatus. Mounted on the left hand end of shaft 95, as viewed in FIG. 1, and fast therewith, is gear 97 which meshes with rack 99, the latter being guided for vertical sliding movement within housing 101, the housing 101 being provided with a cutout 103 to permit engagement between the gear 97 and the rack 99. The housing 101, adjacent its lower end, is provided with a vertical slot 103 through which pin 105 extends, that pin being fixed to the rack 99 and having pivotally mounted thereon outside the housing 101 a carriage 107 on which four gears 92 are rotatably mounted. The vertical slot 103 in the housing 101 is positioned opposite a horizontally disposed guideway 94 within which plate 96 is slidable. A track member 98 is pivotally mounted on the plate 96 at 100, the guideway having a projection 102 with an arcuate slot 104 therein (see FIG. 2) through which clamping screw 106 is adapted to extend, the screw 106 being carried by the plate 96, in order that the pivoted position of the track 98 about the axis may be adjusted. The member 98 carries, along its length, a two-sided rack 108 with which the gears 92 engage and along which they are adapted to move, carrying the carriage 107, the pin and the rack 99 therewith.

Mounted on the left hand end of the plate 96 is an assembly generally designated 110 (see FIG. 4) which comprises an upper rack 112, a lower rack 114, and three upright pieces 116, 118 and which define between themselves a pair of cam tracks 122 and 124. The racks 112, 114 are laterally spaced (as viewed in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) from the upright pieces 116 and 120 so that the segmental gear 24 on the shaft 22 can engage and disengage with the racks 112 and 114 while the cam follower 28 can move into and out from the cam passages 122 and 124. The segmental gear 24 and the cam follower 28, together with the elements cooperating therewith, are so shaped and oriented that when the segmental gear 24 engages either the rack 112 or 114 the cam follower 28 is out of effective engagement with either of the cam tracks 122 or 124 and, conversely, when the cam follower 28 is operatively engaged with either of the cam tracks 122 or 124 the segmental gear 24 is out of engagement with either of the racks 112 or 114. There will, of course, be some slight overlap of the effective functionings of the gear engagement and the cam engagement in order to provide for continuity and smoothness of operation, but essentially the two types of engagement are alternately effective.

The mode of operation of the apparatus here disclosed is as follows. The gear 18 is driven at a speed corresponding to that of the external operating apparatus with which the web 16 is to be used. The feed roller 6 will be driven at a speed which is fixedly related to the speed of operation of the gear 18, thus pulling the web 16 into the apparatus at an appropriate speed. The roller 12 will be driven at a fixed speed which is preferably greater than the speed of the roller 6, thereby to tend to pull the web 16 through the apparatus and move it out therefrom. Slippage between the roller 12 and the web 16 is entirely permissible and usually desirable.

As the gear 18 rotates the shaft 22 will also rotate, and will carry with it the segmental gear 24 and the cam roller 28, all at a speed fixed relative to the speed of rotation of the gear 18. Let us assume that the parts are initially in the position shown in FIG. 4. In that position the cam follower 28 is at the midpoint of the cam track 122 and the gear 24 is disengaged from both of the racks 112, 114. The plate 96 has been moved all the way to the right, and consequently the gears 92, which can only translate vertically and which are in engagement with the left hand end of the inclined rack 108, have been moved down, thus moving the rack 99 down, causing the gear 97 and gears 93 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, the racks 66 have been moved to the left, and the roller is in its extreme position to the left. As the shaft 22 rotates in a clockwise direction the cam follower 28 will move into the lower portion of the cam track 122 and thus move the assembly 110, and with it the plate 96, to the left at a speed which is a function of the shape of the cam track 122 as well as of the speed of rotation of the shaft 22. This will move the plate 96 to the left, the rack 168 will also be moved to the left, the carriage 197 will move upwardly, the rack 99 will move upwardly, the gears 97 and 93 will rotate in a clockwise direction, the racks 66 will be moved to the right, and hence the roller it] will be moved to the right. Since the speed of travel of the web 16 as it reaches the roller 10 is fixed, determined by the speed of rotation of the roller 6, this movement of the roller 10 away from the roller 12 will slow down the speed of travel of the web 16 as it reaches the roller 12.

Eventually, and substantially at the same time that the cam follower 28 begins to emerge from the cam track 122, the segmental gear 24 will engage with the lower rack 114 and will thus move the assembly 110 and the plate 96 to the left at a constant speed directly related to the speed of rotation of the gear 18. Hence the roller it will then be moved to the right at a constant speed and if, as is preferred, the speed of movement of the roller 10 to the right be exactly equal to the speed of travel of the Web 16 as it leaves the roller 6, the web 16 will be stationary at the roller 12 and at all points thereafter. Thus the action of the segmental gear 24 on the rack 114, which may be effective over substantially ninety degrees of rotation of the shaft 22, will provide for an appreciable period of dwell of the web 16 as it leaves the apparatus.

As the shaft 22 continues to rotate the cam follower 28 will enter the lower portion of the cam track 124 after the assembly 110 has been translated to the left by the engagement between parts 24 and 114. The latter parts will then disengage and the cam track 124, which the cam roller 28 enters, will control the speed of movement of the plate 96 to the left, decelerating that speed in a predetermined manner, and preferably with a constant deceleration, until the parts assume their position shown in FIG. 5. During the period of deceleration the movement of the roller 10 to the right will slow down and hence the dwell period of the web 16 will cease and the feed of the web will again commence.

As the shaft 22 continues to rotate in a clockwise direction beyond the position shown in FIG. 3 the plate 96 will be moved to the right, preferably with constant acceleration, thereby lowering the rack 99 and moving the roller 10 to the left so that its speed of movement is added to the normal speed of movement to the web 16 as it leaves the roller 6, thus causing the web 16 to move more and more rapidly over the roller 12. Thereafter the gear 24 will engage with the upper rack 112 and cause the roller 10 to move to the left at a constant speed. This will be the same speed as it previously moved to the right, and hence the Web 16 will move over the roller 12 at approximately twice the speed at which it escapes from between the rolers 6 and 8. It is for this reason that the roller 12 is preferably driven at twice the peripheral speed of the roller 6.

The amount of movement of the roller 10 for each cycle of its reciprocating movement is determined by the inclination of the rack 108 relative to the plate 96. If that rack is parallel to the direction of movement of the plate, there will be no vertical movement of the carriage 107 as the plate 96 slides back and forth, and hence the roller 10 will not move at all. As the inclination of the rack 188 is increased relative to the direction of movement of the plate 96 which carries it, the amplitude of vertical movement of the rack 99 will increase and hence the amplitude of translation of the roller 10 will increase. This change in amplitude of movement of the roller 10 is, it will be appreciated, accomplished entirely indedependently of its rate of cyclical movement, which latter is determined exclusively by the speed of rotation of the gear 18, which drives the shaft 22. Thus, by appropriate angular positioning of the rack 98 relative to the plate 96,

the linear speed of translational movement of the roller 18 during its periods of movement at constant speed (when the gear 24 engages with a rack 112 or 114) can be accurately correlated with the speed of rotation of the feed roller 6 so as to produce any desired movement of the Web 16 at it leaves the apparatus during those periods. Any change in the speed of movement of the gear 18, such as may be caused by changes in speed of operation of the prime mover which also drives the external operating apparatus which subsequently operates upon the web 16, will require no change in this adjustment, and all of the parts of the web feeding apparatus of the present invention will continue to function in accurate synchronism with one another and with the external operating apparatus which subsequently operates upon the web. Through proper design of the cam paths 122 and 124 predetermined acceleration characteristics can be imparted to the movement of the roller 14), and hence to the movement of the Web 16, as it leaves the: apparatus, particularly during those periods when the direction of move ment of the roller 19 is being reversed. Ordinarily uniform acceleration can be imparted thereto, and hence to the web 16, thus making for greater accuracy and reducing strain and vibration in the apparatus.

While out a single embodiment of the present inven tion has been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, all within the scope of the instant invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Web-feeding apparatus comprising a frame, driving means, web-feeding means on said frame and comprising web-engaging elements operatively connected to said driving means and driven thereby at a speed related to the speed of operation of said driving means, said web-feeding means further comprising a web-speed-varying member adapted to be engaged by said web and movable relative to said frame, and an operative connection between said driving means and said member for moving the latter, said operative connection comprising two alternately operatively engageable sets of parts, one part of each set being driven by said driving means and the other part of each set being drivingly connected to said member, one of said sets of parts driving said member at a substantially constant speed related to the speed of operation of said driving means and the other of said sets of parts driving said member at a variable speed related to the speed of operation of said driving means.

2. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said operative connection between said driving means and said member causes cyclical movement of said member and comprises adjustable means for permitting variation in the amplitude of cyclical movement of said member without disturbing the speed of cyclical movement thereof as determined by the speed of operation of said driving means.

3. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 2, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide a predetermined amass? variation in the speed of movement of said member relative'to the speed of operation of said driving means.

4. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 2, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide for reversal of movement of said member with substantially uniform acceleration.

5. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said other part of each of said sets of parts is drivingly connected to said member by means comprising a first ele' ment moved by said other parts with a constant amplitude of movement, a second element operatively connected to said member, and a third element movable with and adjustably positionable relative to one of said first and second elements and operatively engaged by the other of said first and second elements, variation in the positioning of said third element relative to said one of said first and second elements causing variation in the amplitude of movement of said second element.

6. The Web-feeding apparatus of claim 5, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide a predetermined variation in the speed of movement of said member relative to the speed of operation of said driving means.

7. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 5, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide for reversal of movement of said member with substantially uniform acceleration.

8. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide a predetermined variation in the speed of movement of said member relative to the speed of operation of said driving means.

9. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said other of said sets of parts comprises a cam and cam follower, the cam being shaped to provide for reversal of movement of said member with substantially uniform acceleration.

10. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said one part of said first set of parts comprises a first gear and said other part thereof comprises a pair of gear elements selectively engageable by said first gear and effective respectively, when thus engaged, to drive said member in opposite directions for a single direction of movement of said first gear, and in which said one part of said second set of parts comprises a cam follower and said other part thereof comprises a pair of engageable cam elements effective respectively, when engaged by said cam follower, to reverse the direction of movement of said member with predetermined acceleration.

11. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 10, in which said operative connection between said driving means and said member causes cyclical movement of said member and comprises adjustable means for permitting variation in the amplitude of cyclical movement of said member without disturbing the cyclical speed of movement thereof as determined by the speed of operation of said driving means. I

12. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 10, in which said other part of each of said sets of parts is drivingly connected to said member by means comprising a first element moved by said other parts with a constant amplitude of movement, a second element operatively connected to said member and a third element movable with and adjustably positionable relative to one of said first and second elements and operatively engaged by the other of said first and second elements, variation in the positioning of said third element relative to said one of said first and second elements causing variation in the amplitude of movement of said second element.

13. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 1, in which said one part of said first set of parts comprises a first gear and said other part thereof comprises a pair of gear elements selectively engageable by said first gear and effective respectively, when thus engaged, to drive said member in opposite directions for a single direction of movement of said first gear, and in which said one part of said second set of parts comprises a cam follower and said other part thereof comprises a pair of engageable cam elements effective respectively, when engaged by said cam follower, to reverse the direction of movement of said member with substantially uniform acceleration.

14. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 13, in which said operative connection between said driving means and said member causes cyclical movement of said memher and comprises adjustable means for permitting variation in the amplitude of cyclical movement of said member without disturbing the cyclical speed of movement thereof as determined by the speed of operation of said driving means.

15. The web-feeding apparatus of claim 13, in which said other part of each of said sets of parts is drivingly connected to said member by means comprising a first element moved by said other parts with a constant amplitude of movement, a second element operatively connected to said member and a third element movable with and adjustably positionable relative to one of said first and second elements and operatively engaged by the other of said first and second elements, variation in the positioning of said third element relative to said one of said first and second elements causing variation in the amplitude of movement of said second element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,235,805 Jennings Aug. 7, 1917 

